Lachha Paratha (Layered Flatbread) with Potato and Peas Curry


Indian breads are a delight to eat with any kind of curries, and adding spices and stuffings like garlic, potatoes, paneer, onions or other veggies, not only makes them tasty, but wholesome and nutritious too. Wheat flatbreads, popularly known as "Chapatis" or "Phulkas" are light and fluffy, while Parathas are more heavier and come in various shapes and flavors. One such simple variation that uses all-purpose flour is the "Lachha or Layered Paratha". Originated from the northern provinces of India, this is a very simple bread, with no spices except salt, but the beauty lies in the crust and crisp flakiness of the bread. It has several layers and is made by folding the rolled bread over and over again for a few times. It does take some time and patience to make these parathas, but they are an absolute joy to eat when they are served hot with delicious curries! Some people also have it for breakfast with their tea in the morning. Not a bad start of a new day, I must say:) These parathas are heavy, so you might be full with just one, and that saves a lot of time!

Recipe Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
Water to make dough
Salt to taste
1 cup ghee (clarified butter)

Method
Mix the flour and salt and knead into a soft dough with a little water at a time. The consistency should be such that the dough is pliable, yet not too hard, nor too watery. It might help to knead the dough with some warm water as that would help obtain a better and softer texture. Cover the dough and keep aside.

There are several different ways of doing this, but the basic idea is to create layers by folding the rolled dough over a few times. Here's how I do mine.

Divide the dough into equal-sized balls, and roll into a round over oval shape using a rolling pin and flat board. Now take a knife and cut to make long 1" wide strips. Layer all the strips on top of one another to form a stack. Then roll the entire stack from one end to the other, length-wise, just like you'd do in a jelly roll cake.

Flatten between the palms of your hands, grease with some ghee, then dip in some raw flour and roll it out again. To see a pictorial representation, click here. Don't try to be very exact in following these steps; as long as you are creating layers, you are fine. Finish the paratha by rolling it into desired shape.

Heat a flat pan on a medium flame. Then cook the paratha on each side; remember to sprinkle some oil when flipping it over so it does not stick to the pan. Cook on both sides till it turns a light golden brown in color. The layers will start puffing up, and make sure you cook it on medium flame only, too high and it may get burnt, but stay uncooked from inside.

The resulting paratha will be crisp and flaky, ready to serve with a curry of your choice!!

Potato and Peas Curry

Ingredients
3 cups cubed boiled potatoes
2 cups boiled gren peas
a pinch of asafoetida
3 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp mustard seeds
4 tbsp tomato puree
salt - to taste
sugar - to taste(optional)
lemon juice - to taste
4-5 tsp red chilli powder
chopped coriander - for garnish
3 tbsp oil

Method
Take a non-stick cooking pan. heat the oil, then add the cumin and mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Then add the asafoetida, followed by the tomato puree, and then the potato cubes and green peas. Add about 1.5 to 2 cups of water, add the salt and sugar, then cover with a lid and cook for 10 mins on medium heat.

When the curry starts simmering, add all the remaining spices. Mix well, add more water if required, then add the lemon juice. Check for taste, then allow to cook for another 5-10 mins on low flame. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish wit chopped coriander.

Enjoy a wholesome meal with the hot and crispy Lachcha Parathas with the delicious Potatoes and Green peas curry!

Similar Recipes
Paneer-Ajwain Parathas
Mung-Dal (Lentil) Parathas


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26 comments :

AnuZi said...

Mansi....those parathas look soo good. When Bhatji and I went to singapore for vacation we had these parathas that were layered but they used eggs in theirs. The rest of the recipe was similar to yours. Looks amazing. Cant wait to try it out :o)

Anonymous said...

looks great!! I haven't tried indian breads before, but I guess I'm ready enough to give it a shot now:)

might as well try with this one!:)

-Amy

Meeta K. Wolff said...

Oh yes! This is certainly something I am craving right now. Simple but delish!

Laavanya said...

That's a bit labor intensive but the taste is a great reward i suppose.

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to try that!! my granny used to make it for us every morning in india:) it tastes great, and I like your curry too..the pic is so comforting!!

-Nalini

Anonymous said...

Hey Mansi...you are doing a great job, I like reading your blogs.....I live in the bay area tooo.....and check your blog regularly.Keep it up!!

-Sirisha

Rajitha said...

yum! all i can say is..i can eat this non-stop..provided someone makes it for me..when i make it..i am pretty particular about the nos ;)

Mary said...

The only Indian bread I've had is Naan and I love it. I'd love to try making parathas too.

Anonymous said...

Layered parathas have always been the hardest to make in my head. With your simple instructions, I think I can give this a try. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Cynthia said...

Your discription of the paratha makes me crave one with some butter and tea :)

musical said...

Crispy and flaky sounds good:)

SteamyKitchen said...

These would be great with all the chutneys that I want to make! I was just sent a new cookbook from India - I've only flipped through it quickly but there are so many dishes I want to try.

amna said...

lovely! i have never tried layered paratha. the link you have given shows a different method, though i think i will try it ur way :) thanks for sharing. bookmarked!

Mansi said...

I'm really glad you all liked it...I was starting to think there are very few readers for recipes like these:) but we enjoyed savoring it, and hope you all too!

Nags - yeah I tried following the directions on that link on the first paratha....came out ok, but I think my method should be simpler to follow:)

Aparna Balasubramanian said...

Parathas are a regular feature in my daughter's lunch box. We love them so much that I even carry them when we have to drive long distance. They make a filling meal and are not messy to carry!

Rosie said...

I have never tried indian breads before but they do look brilliant served with your potato & pea curry!

Must give your recipes a try :D

Rosie x

Poonam said...

Hi Manasi, that looks so perfect!..I haven't had something like this in ages!..By the way, I totally loved your earlier sun dried tomato and paneer muffins ( will try them)..and ofcourse the drinks!

Kajal@aapplemint said...

i absolutely love parathas , specially with rajma. Yumm.

Suganya said...

Lachha paratha is a lot of work. I have made it twice. I would enjoy if someone makes it for me :D.

Mansi said...

Aparna - I think it's a regular in most indian homes:) I just love them!

Rosie - do give it a try and tell me how it goes:)

Poonam - those savoury muffins are my recent favorites, besides the cakes:)

Mansi said...

kate - yeah, you must surely be missing them after your recent India trip:)

Suganya - I know what you mean:)I too made just 4...hehehe... let's feed each other one day:D

Kalai said...

Mansi, I love parathas. But somehow always been intimidated to make them because it seems complicated. Your directions are clear and don't seem too complex. Will try thing!

Kribha said...

My tounge is so bland being on my diet. Wish to have that plate right now. Too bad that breads are restricted for now. :-(

Alpa said...

my wonderful pakistani friends used to make this for breakfast. they used to roll it out and apply ghee and then form a ball again and then repeat. They did this about 4 or 5 times. oooh, they are so good with chai. Yours looks delicious!

Laura said...

Mmmmm... potato and pea curry, my favorite!

Lakshmi said...

I love potato and peas curry. I have my version on my blog too.